This proposal seeks to test a conceptual framework developed by the Principal Investigator examining the relationship between neighborhood risk, marginalization, racial identity, and HIV risk among urban African American youth. Qualitative studies of African American youth describe marginalization in terms hopelessness and not feeling in control of the outcomes in one's life. These perceptions of marginalization, led many youth to adopt norms and attitudes that are unconventional by mainstream standards, including unconventional attitudes about risk behaviors (e.g., approval of substance use). Racial identity has also been identified as an important factor in African American youth development. Therefore, racial identity may influence how perceptions of marginalization are related to youth unconventional attitudes and HIV risk. The proposed research aims to 1) investigate the relationship between perceived neighborhood risk (i.e., exposure to community violence and experience with urban hassles) and HIV risk behaviors (substance use and sexual risk). 2) To examine the extent to which perceived neighborhood risk and HIV risk behaviors is mediated by perceptions of marginalization (i.e., hopelessness and low self-efficacy) and having unconventional attitudes (i.e., approval of substance use). 3) To assess whether racial identity moderates the relationship between perceptions of marginalization and unconventional attitudes. Secondary data analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with a NIDA funded cross-sectional dataset will be used. The sample includes 567 African American youth, ages 13-19 years, enrolled at an urban public high school in Maryland. Findings will increase our understanding of the initiation and progression of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among urban African American youth. Such knowledge could inform the development of effective HIV behavioral prevention and intervention efforts targeting this population. This proposal seeks to test a conceptual framework developed by the Principal Investigator examining the relationship between neighborhood risk, marginalization, racial identity, and HIV risk among urban African American youth. Findings will increase our understanding of the initiation and progression of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among urban African American youth. Results from this study could make a contribution to HIV prevention programs that address the goals of the US Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2010 initiative to eliminate health disparities related to HIV. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]